The GLAR grouping is delighted to announce the publication of the Research Handbook on Disasters and International Law (Edward Elgar, 2016). This handbook is edited by GLAR’s own Professor Susan C. Breau and Dr Katja L.H. Samuel, and features chapter contributions from a number of other staff in GLAR, as well as other colleagues at Reading and numerous other experts from around the world.

International law’s role in governing disasters is undergoing a formative period in its development and reach, in parallel with concerted efforts by the international community to respond more effectively to the increasing number and intensity of disasters across the world. This Research Handbook examines a broad range of legal regimes directly and indirectly relevant to disaster prevention, mitigation and reconstruction across a spectrum of natural and manmade disasters, including armed conflict.

The book is a major contribution to the burgeoning field of law and disasters, and forms a key part of GLAR’s ongoing work on this topic.

Dr Lawrence Hill-Cawthorne (GLAR) and Dr Kubo Macak (Exeter) held a successful two-day expert roundtable on the relationship between the law of armed conflict and general international law. Details can be found here.

Following the Brexit vote, Professor Chris Hilson has published a blog post examining its implications:

Chris Hilson, ‘The EU Referendum: Brexit, Solidarity and Identity’ DELI Blog (Durham European Law Institute), 18 July 2016

An international gathering in celebration of the scholarship of Professor Guy S. Goodwin-Gill, Professor of International Refugee Law and Emeritus Fellow of All Souls College, was convened at All Souls College by Professor Jane McAdam (UNSW), Dr Cathryn Costello (Refugee Studies Centre & Faculty of Law, Oxford), and Dr Reuven (Ruvi) Ziegler (Reading).

Dr Lawrence Hill-Cawthorne has been awarded the American Society of International Law’s prestigious Francis Lieber Prize for 2016 for his monograph entitled Detention in Non-International Armed Conflict, published recently by Oxford University Press. The prize is awarded annually for the best book in the field of international law and armed conflict.

GLAR is excited to announce its new teaching and research activities in global law and disasters which build upon and develop colleagues’ existing expertise across a wide spectrum of legal regimes. During the past ten years alone, an estimated 1.5 billion people were affected by some form of disaster, with the likely number, intensity and impact of crises, emergencies, conflicts and disasters likely to continue increasing. This is reflected in current and emerging global priorities such as the Hyogo Framework for Action 2 on disaster risk reduction, UN Climate Change Conference 2015, UN Sustainable Development Goals 2015, and forthcoming World Humanitarian Summit 2016 which seek an increasingly integrated, multidimensional approach to related issues.

The School of Law, in collaboration with a number of other schools at the University of Reading, has developed a unique, flexible, multidisciplinary new programme which capitalizes on the significant expertise of colleagues across the University: LLM/Postgraduate Diploma/Postgraduate Certificate in Global Crisis, Conflict, and Disaster Management, which will commence 2016/17. Expected to appeal especially to early and mid-career law and non-law professionals, the new programme – which is the first of its kind anywhere in the world – examines the role and significance of global (ie national, regional and international) law and policy across the spectrum of crises, conflicts and disasters whether ‘man-made’ and/or ‘natural’ in origin. More details on this programme can be found on the Postgraduate taught study page.

In parallel, GLAR colleagues are busy developing their research expertise on global law and disasters, with a number of projects already in progress (see the Projects and Recent Publications page). The School of Law also expects to be in a position soon to be able to offer CPD, consultancy advice and to engage in research projects on these and related matters. For further information, please contact the programme director and lead on international disaster law research, Dr Katja L.H. Samuel (k.l.samuel@reading.ac.uk).